Self-reported Health by Ethnicity and Gender in Thai Nguyen Mountainous Province of Vietnam

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on health inequalities among adult population in Thai Nguyen - a northern mountainous province of Vietnam. Using data from a population-based health survey in the province, the paper explores differences in self-reported health by ethnicity, gender, and household income. Multinomial logistic regressions are used to learn about relations between social determinants of health and self-reported health. The study provides clear evidence of the similarity in adult health status between ethnic minority and the Kinh or the ethnic majority. This finding suggests that policies targeting health improvement for ethnic minority should prioritize children rather than adult population. It consistently found that adult females have worse reported health than adult males. This study provide clear evidence of the social gradient in health: people in the lower income quintiles have worse health than those in the higher quintiles. The study revealed that the pro-poor program known as P135 has created positive effects on population health and such efforts should be continued. The near-poor was found as the most vulnerable population. While the line between poor and near-poor is fragile, this finding raises great concerns to the current pro-poor policies and motivation for the poor to move up the ladder.